Watch First Position

First Position is a captivating and emotional documentary film that follows the journey of six young ballet dancers as they compete in the prestigious Youth America Grand Prix, an annual competition that could lead to a career in professional ballet. The film, directed by Bess Kargman, was released in 2011 and features Aran Bell, Rebecca Houseknecht, Joan Sebastian Zamora, and several other young dancers from around the world.

The film opens with footage from the previous year's Youth America Grand Prix, where hundreds of young dancers from across the globe compete for a chance to win scholarship opportunities and contracts with major ballet companies. We then meet the six main dancers that the film will follow throughout their journey to the competition: Michaela DePrince, Aran Bell, Miko Fogarty, Joan Sebastian Zamora, Jules Fogarty, and Rebecca Houseknecht.

Each of the six dancers has a unique story and background. Michaela DePrince, for example, was born in war-torn Sierra Leone and was orphaned at a young age. She was adopted by a family in the United States and has been training in ballet ever since. Aran Bell, on the other hand, comes from a military family and has had to move around frequently throughout his training. Miko and Jules Fogarty are siblings who have been home-schooled and trained in ballet by their mother, while Joan Sebastian Zamora struggles with a language barrier as he trains in Colombia.

As the film follows each of the dancers through their daily routines of rigorous training and rehearsals, we get a glimpse into the physical and emotional challenges that they face in pursuing their dreams. We also get to meet their families and mentors, who provide support and encouragement along the way.

The heart of the film, of course, is the Youth America Grand Prix competition, where the six young dancers compete against hundreds of others for a chance to win the top prize. The competition is fierce, and the film does an excellent job of capturing the excitement and tension of each performance. We see each dancer practicing backstage, nervously waiting for their turn to take the stage, and then finally performing in front of a panel of judges.

Throughout the competition, we see the dancers struggle with injuries, nerves, and disappointment, but we also see them triumph over adversity and push themselves beyond their limits. The film is both a celebration of the art of ballet and a powerful testament to the human spirit.

In addition to the captivating performance footage, the film also features interviews with several of the judges, who provide insight into what they are looking for in a winning performance. We also get to see the behind-the-scenes workings of the competition, including how scores are calculated and how the winners are announced.

Overall, First Position is a beautifully shot and emotionally engaging film that will appeal to anyone with an interest in ballet or in the lives of young people pursuing their dreams. It is a powerful reminder of the dedication and perseverance required to succeed as a dancer, and of the transformative power of art.

First Position is a 2011 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.5 and a MetaScore of 72.